Refuse containers



March 24, 1970 e F. DU BOIS REFUSE CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 10 1968 FIG.1.

March 24, 1970 G..F. DU BOIS 3, 2,

REFUSE CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 10 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O Int. Cl. B65d 43/26, 25/16 US. Cl. 220-63 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A refuse container comprises a hollow body with a bag receiving receptacle installed within the body. The receptacle has a top edge and a bags storing zone is provided in the hollow body near the receptacle, with a bags storing means being provided therein. The height of each bag exceeds the height of the receptacle thus providing an excess portion adapted to be folded back around the top edge of the receptacle. The bag has a length which is sufficient to permit, after the bag is filled up to the height of the receptacle, the constriction of the' bag for closing the mouth thereof. The height of the receptacle exceeds the height of the body by an amount substantially equal to the folded portion of the bags. A removable hood is provided on the hollow body and includes a top and a skirt. The top is provided with an opening into the receptacle. A lid is provided on the top which covers the opening and the skirt has a length which is at least equal to the excess portion of the receptacle.

The present invention relates to a refuse container comprising a support for bags intended for the reception of refuse as well as a lid.

In particular the invention relates to a refuse container meant to contain a plastic bag for receiving the refuse and being of large capacity.

In refuse containers of this type known at present, the capacity of the bags is fairly low, taking account of the fact that the top portion of the bag has to be left empty in order to retain a gripping zone for removing it from the refuse container and be able to close it.

The present invention has for its object to improve the known refuse containers in order to permit the use of bags of a capacity corresponding to that of the receptacle of the refuse container, bags which being positioned on the sidewalk instead of the street refuse containers, will permit an easier removal both for the user as well as for the administrative services of refuse collection, without sacrificing the esthetic requirements of the general appearance of the device.

For that purpose according to the invention the refuse container is meant to receive bags the length of which substantially exceeds the height of the support, the excess portion of the bag being meant to be folded back around the top edge of the support and the refuse container comprising a removable screen surrounding the part of the support to be covered by the portion of the bags folded back so as to hide it from view.

The advantage of the refuse container according to the invention consists in that it permits letting the height of the device coincide substantially with the useful height of the bag, while letting remain the length of the bag needed for the constriction thereof, this portion of the bag being folded back outside the support and hidden by the removable screen.

Refuse containers with bags for the reception of the refuse provided with a stock of bags are known; however this stock which generally comprises a sequence of bags interconnected by an advance perforation is stored beneath the location of the bag in use, the latter being connected ice to the bags of the stock. This arrangement presents two kinds of disadvantages; on the one hand it reduces the useful height of the refuse container and interferes with its aesthetic appearance; on the other hand it is diflicult for the user to separate the filled bag by tearing it away from the other bags. In order to overcome these disadvantages, the refuse container according to the invention is further improved by the fact that the stock of bags is provided alongside with reference to the support.

According to an advantageous form of embodiment of the invention and in order to curtail substantially the height of the refuse container to the useful height of the bags, the container comprises members for treadle actuation of a lid, laterally mounted with reference to the support.

Other details and features of the invention will become apparent from the description given hereinafter, by way of non limitative example, of a form of embodiment of the invention, with reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 shows an elevational sectional view along line II of FIGURE 2, partially broken away, of a refuse container according to the invention comprising a container for bags receiving the refuse and a store for bags held in stock.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view along line IIII of FIG- URE 1 partially broken away.

In the different figures, the same reference numerals refer to identical components.

The refuse container shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 comprises a hollow body 1, of generally square cross-section. The top rim thereof is flanged by a joint 2 provided with a groove for receiving the skirt 3 of a hood 4 closing the body at the top part thereof the skirt 3 lengthening the peripheral wall of the body 1. The top rim of the body 1 is provided with an internal flange 5 from which depends, from an external flange 6, a receptacle 7 of a height exceeding that of the body 1 and of substantially rectangular cross-section with rounded off rims.

Inside the container 7 may be provided a bag 8 for receiving the refuse, the length of which bag substantially exceeds the height of the container 7, so as to provide a portion 9 folded back around the top rim of the container, which portion will be used, once the bag is full, to permit the constriction of the bag by means of a bond for the closing thereof.

In its bottom portion, the body 1 is provided with a pair of pins 10 whereon are pivotally mounted the arms 11 of a treadle 12. On one of the arms 11 is hinged a connecting rod 13 mounted at the other end on a lever 14 hin-ged at 15 on the wall of the body 1. The lever 14 is provided with a pin 16 abutting against a plate 17 integral with a lid 18 hinged at 19 to the top part of the hood 4, above the receptacle 7.

The portion 24 of the body, not taken up by the receptacle 7, provides a storage for a stock of bags. The latter comprises a sheath 25 of plastic material provided at regular intervals corresponding to the length of a bag, with transverse sealing strips along which the two layers of the sheath are welded together to provide the bottom of a bag 8. The sheath 25 is wound up on a distributor 27 comprising two parallel reels 28 the shafts 30 of which are rotatably mounted in a pair of straps 29. The sheath is wound up in such a manner that it surrounds in succession the shafts 30 of the two reels, so as to achieve a restocking of greater height than width, which is suitable on account of the dimensions of the portion 24.

The restocking is located in removable manner by sliding the straps 29 in grooves provided in columns 31, one of which is fastened to the wall 32 of the body and the other to the base 33 of a V-shaped wall, the sides 34 of which are fastened to the rear wall 32' of the body 1.

The portion 24 comprises a removable cover 35 carried on the flange 6 of the container 7 (where it is held fast by a projection 58) and on the flange of the body 1 The free end of the sheath passes through an opening 36 provided in the cover and is held on this cover by two elastic curved blades 37 mounted on a base plate 38 fastened to the cover 35. The latter presents an internal longitudinal groove 39 covered by a plate 40- provided With an opening 41 for the passage of a blade 42 mounted on a device 43 for cutting off the bags, a device whereof the base 44 slides inside the groove 39.

It is evident that when a bag 8 is filled with refuse, the housewife will have to remove the hood 4, straighten the portion 9 folded back of the bag, close the bag by means of a length of string taken from a reel provided beneath the cover 35, but of which one end 56 is flush therewith, remove the bag from the receptacle 7, pull a length of sheath 25 corresponding to that of a bag, cut it off by sliding the cutting device 43 inside the groove 39 along a transverse strip of the sheath and place the new bag in the receptacle after which the hood 4 can be put back in place.

When a stock of bags is empty, the housewife has to take off the cover 35, remove the assembly comprising the reels 28 and the straps 29 and replace by vertical sliding inside the columns 31, a complete new stock.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the form of embodiment described and that many modifications may be introduced therein without departing from the scope of the present patent application. Thus instead of a complete container, the body may carry a more elementary support such as a bag suspension ring.

I claim:

1. A refuse container comprising a hollow body having an upright peripheral wall, a bag receiving receptacle within said body, said receptacle having a top edge, a bag storing zone within said hollow body and outside said receptacle, bag storing means within said bag storing zone, the length of each bag exceeding the height of the receptacle thereby providing an excess portion adapted to be folded back around the top edge of the receptacle and having a length sufficient to permit, once the bag is filled to the height of the receptacle, the constriction of the bag for the closing thereof, the height of said receptacle exceeding te height of the body by an amount substantially equal to the folded portion of the bag and a removable hood on said hollow body covering, in common, the folded portion of the bag and the bag storing zone, said hood comprising a top and an upright skirt, said skirt lengthening said upright peripheral wall, said top having an opening leading into said receptacle, and a lid for covering said opening.

2. A refuse container as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bag storing means comprises a removable distributor and a sheath carried by said distributor and provided, at regular intervals, with transverse seals which form the bottoms of the bags after separation of a portion of sheath comprising a seal, said distributor being arranged in said hollow body near said receptacle, a removable cover for said bag storing zone, an opening in said cover for passing therethrough the end of said sheath, and means for handling the sheath and bags on said cover.

3. A refuse container as claimed in claim 1 comprising, on the lid a block directed towards the inside of said hood, said block coming into contacting relationship, when the hood is positioned on the hollow body with a stop member integral with a system of rods controlling the opening and the closing of the said lid, the said system of rods being mounted in the space remaining between the receptacle and the body, and being connected to a treadle at a distance from the bottom of the body.

4. A refuse container as claimed in claim 1 comprising an internal flange on said body at the top thereof, said receptacle and hood resting on said flange, and a separate removable cover in said bag storage zone for said bag storage means, the latter cover being at least in part supported on said internal flange.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,127,052 3/ 1964 Mayers 220- 2,796,309 6/1957 Taylor 220-65 3,088,425 5/1963 La Rue 220-36 3,184,100 5/1965 Thomas 220-63 3,300,082 1/1967 Patterson 220-65 3,300,083 1/ 1967 Wright 220-65 GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner US Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT QKFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 502 242 March 24, 1970 Georges Fernand Dubois It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading'to the printed specification, lines 6 and 7, "Aug. 3, 1967, 702, 225" should read Jan. 13, 1967, 692 ,577;

Aug. 3, 1967, 702, 225

Signed and sealed this 29th day of December 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. WILLIAM E. JR.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

